Thank you

The month of May turned into a crazy one. I had committed to do a few things for a couple different committees at school and am the secretary for the Relief Society (women's organization) at church, and just had some of the general busy-ness that comes near the end of school.

All of it was going to be manageable until the school district decided to postpone all extra-curricular activities for two weeks due to the swine flu threat. (Puh-lease.) So all the things that were originally spread out thru May, were all dumped in one week. That meant juggling things at the same time, spending a lot of time redoing things that had already been done for our school's silent auction, redoing signs and posters, remaking cakes for the cake walk....on and on. All I can say is that my body physically gave out each night. There was too much to do and too little time. Mike was fantastic to help out either cooking dinner, or at least not complaining when he often was home before we were. He put the kids to bed, was supportive of every meeting I needed to be at, and always gave me encouraging words for all the things I was working on. Sorry for the back up in laundry family!! (ummm..backup is not the right word. Jacob actually had three different days where there simply was no clean underwear left...small pajama shorts under regular shorts? Sounded good to us!)

Anyway - my family was fantastic, but the reason I started down this long wandering narrative was to say thank you to my sister in law, Jenny. On the day of the silent auction I had so much to do, a filthy kitchen, no energy left, and was just feeling awful about how little I was getting done around the house. I could barely stand up anymore and had six cakes to frost and decorate. Ding dong! Jenny flew in, blew around my kitchen for half an hour, infused me with energy, gave me a great hug, and left me with a spotless kitchen and a humongously thankful heart. It meant a lot to me. Thank you Jenny! You were just what I needed!

**And yes! I do know when to say no to volunteer "opportunities." This just ended up being an awful time for any parent at our school, due to overscheduling events. An example - in one night of the crazy week they jammed the Book Fair, Gallery Night, Talent Show, and ISP Presentations. AYE-YI-YI-CHIHUAHUA-MAMASITA!!**

Wow!

(Two seconds ago...)

Andrew: Hey Mom! I want to go to Utah so bad right now, I can smell it. For real life. Right here in the front room with the door and the window closed. I can smell it!

Thoughts

This past week a little nine year old girl at Jake's school was killed in a backyard accident. I was asked to make a memorial poster/banner (for lack of a better word) to hang in the school. What a task.

If I was concentrating on my lettering or cutting, I was okay, but every time I would stand back to check centering and I would see her sweet face smiling at me from her picture, I would fall apart again. Her poor family. I don't like to even imagine.

That realization came again of how quickly life can change. That I need to always be striving to be close to my Heavenly Father. To follow Him each day and act in faith, so that I am strong and prepared and trusting when unexpected challenges come my way.

I am so thankful for the presence and spirit and joy each of my little one's bring into my life, and to know that when our loved ones pass on, that we will have the chance to be reunited. Such comfort it brings.